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At about 8am on Wednesday morning, Dakota, a Golden Retriever, wandered onto the partially frozen Little Ossipee Lake in East Waterboro, Maine, just a few hundred feet from his home.
The 100-lb dog fell through the ice into about 3-feet of freezing water and, unable to climb back out, clung to the edge of the ice. When the fire department was alerted to the life-threatening situation, they knew exactly who to send to do the job.
Captain Tom Langevin, who fellow firefighters jokingly refer to as “Dr. Dolittle” because of his deep love for animals, didn’t hesitate to climb into a rescue suit and go in after the dog.
By the time Dakota was saved, he had been about partially submerged in the freezing water for about a half hour. The dog was tired, cold, and fatigued, but was otherwise ok.
His family report that he spent the next few hours laying by the fireplace, but did enjoy a bowl of ice cream, too.